Car-coupling.



W. S. SGHROEDER.

GAR COIJPLING.l

APPLIOATIVON FILED MAY 1, 190s.

, UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

WILLIAM S. SCI-IROEDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR., BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND,' OHIO, A

CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Application filed May 1, 1908. Serial No. 430,397.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, vWILLIAM S. SCHROE- DER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to improvements in car couplers. Its object is to provide a side lift coupler of a strong, simple, efficient and durable construction, having provision for setting the lock in couplihg and uncoupling positions and throwing the knuckle open, and means for preventing the lock from creeping, in which the lock may be raised and the knuckle thrown open from either side of the car.

It consists in connection with theforked draw-head, pivoted knuckle, vertically movable gravity lock and knuckle thrower, of a two piece side lift lever extending laterally through the draw-head, the members of which are detachably connected together to enable the lever to be inserted and removed, and each member of which is provided with means for connection with the operating lever, one at one side of the draw-bar and the other at the other, so that the coupler may be conveniently. operated from either side of the car.

My invention further consists in the novel construction of parts and devices and in the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a car coupler embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lock set in position for uncoupling. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views vof the lock. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of one member of the double ended side lift lever and Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the lmuckle.

In the drawing, A represents the drawhead of the coupler, having the customary pivot arm a and guard arm a1; B the-knuclifting lever extending laterally through the draw-head and F2 F2 the operating or hand levers extending to the side of the car and coupled yor connected, one to each end of the side lift lever F F1.

The draw-head A has a lock-set seat c3, on its lower web or floor aA1 adjacent to the lock aperture a2 therein. The rear arm or tail 1 of the knuckle is furnished with thecustomary hook or extension 7)2. and with a flat upright face b3 .to engage the lock. The rear armor tailof the knuckle is also provided on its under side with an upwardly and laterally extending knuckle throwing incline b4, and also on its upper side or face with an upper and inner track, way or inoline 55, and a lower or outer track, way or incline 66 for the lock D to ride upon as the knuckle swings open and closed. The two inclines 255 and be preferably intersect each other, about as shown in the drawing, and the upper and inner one b5, or the one which is nearer the pivot of the knuckle, serves to lift or disengage the lock from its lockset' seat on the draw-head when the knuckle begins to swing open, the further opening movement of the knuckle then permitting the lock to drop back slightly olf of the apvper incline, b5, onto the lower one 56, the

path of course of which is such as to soguide the lock, on its descent into the coupling position when the knuckle subsequently closes, that the lock cannot in ysuch descent again engage the lock-set sea-t on the draw-head.

This positively and absolutely prevents all I failure to couple by reason of the lock on its descent rengaging the lock set seat.

The lock D is provided at its lower end with a downwardly and forwardly projecting lock set leg or extension d, having a curved or cam-like upper face d1 adapted to engage the knuckle throwing incline b1 on the rear arm or tail of the knuckle to throw the knuckle open.

The vertically movable gravity lock D is provided on the lmuckle side thereof with a recess d2, having an upper curved orcamlike wall or face @Z2 for the bent lifting arm Y f of the lifting lever F F1 to engage 'or slide and lift against, and having alower wallor stop shoulder d1. This shoulder al1 also acts as a stop to prevent creeping of the lock when the knuckle and lock are in their closed or coupled position by engagementwith the lower end of the lifting arm f, as will be readily understood from Fig. l of the drawing. The recess d2 also has an upright back wall (Z5. The lock D also has at its front corner a shoulder Z6 which engages and rides upon the inclines or ways b5 5G of the knuckle tail.

The double ended or two piece side lifting lever F F1 extends horizontally through a side opening or bearing a5 in the drawhead at one side thereof above the knuckle tail, and the draw-head is also provided with a horizontally and forwardly extending covered recess a6 to accommodate the shank portion f1 of the member F of the lifting lever when the same is swung horizontally forward to enable its right angle lifting arm f to be removed from the draw-head through said opening a5.

The two members F F1 of the lifting lever are preferably telescopically secured together, the member F having a square or non-circular end f2 which fits in a corresponding socket f3 in the sleeve member F1 of the lifting lever, the two parts being dei. tach ably connected together by a removable cotter pin f2.

Each member of the lifting lever is provided at its outer end with a right angle hook arm f5 for detachable connection and engagement with the corresponding hook arm f6 of the hand lever F2 which extends to the side of the car.

To impart to the lock a further knuckle opening movement and thus cause the same to throw the knuckle completely open, I provide the back wall a9 of the lock opening L2 in the draw-head with a vertical slot or recess al", the end of which forms a stop or shoulder all which cooperates with the stop or shoulder d? on the rear face of the lock D, so that the final portion of the upward swinging movement on the lifting arm f on the lifting lever F F1 will force the lower end of the lock forward against the knuckle throwing incline b4 of the knuckle tail, and thus throw the knuckle fully and completely open.

The hand levers F2 which extend to the side of the car are each loosely supported by brackets F3 secured to the front of the car. The loose or knuckle joint-like connection formed by the hook arms on the hand levers F2 and lifting members F F1 enables the draw-head of the coupler to move back and forth or up and down as required, without causing any binding strain between the lifting lever andthe hand lever.

The draw-head A is provided with an inclined projection L12 under which the lockset and knuckle throwing leg or extension of the lock ts when the lock is 1n its lowermost or closed position. This aids in preventing the lock from creeping when the cars are coupled together. lWhen the lock is lifted by the side lifting lever F F1, the lower end of the lock swings slightly backward at the initial upward movement to permit the knuckle throwing leg to clear this rearward projection L12 of the drawhead.

The lock D has an eye 12 at its upper end so that it may be used as a top lift lock instead of a side lift lock if occasion should require.

rlhe draw head is furnished on its lower face with a depending flange a to receive a cotter pin Gr which extends through the lower end of the pivot pin C to hold the same in place and keep it from being accidentally or maliciously removed.

I claim In a car coupler, the combination with a draw-head, knuckle and lock, of a horizontally extending rotatable side lift lever extending through the upper part of the drawhead and through the lock, the lock having a guide slot to loosely receive said side lift lever and permit raising of the lock by the rotation of the lever.

WILLlAM S. SCHROEDER.

Vitnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, WILLIAM A. GEIGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingithe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

